The Ice King | Frozen Assets | American History Tellers

What this episode is about

The narrative focuses on a poignant moment between a father and his son, Frederick, who has been jailed for failing to pay debts accrued from his ambitious but impractical ice trade business. The father grapples with the dilemma of helping his son while confronting the folly of Frederick's dream, emphasizing the themes of familial responsibility, the harsh realities of financial failure, and the struggle between hope and practicality in the context of early 19th-century American economic challenges.

Key takeaways

• Frederick Tudor's ice dreams faced ridicule; persistent innovation paved his frosty fortune.
• 1809, Boston: Tudor found his ice firm frozen by Jefferson's embargo, not winter.
• Embargo blocks ice trade, but Tudor's tenacity chisels persistence into a chilling empire.
• Debt ails Tudor like a snowstorm—fleeting but freezing until innovation thaws profit.
• In Tudor's icy ambition, failure chilled his spine; success awaited the thaw.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Lindsey Graham (Host) · 34 min speaking
• Frederic Tudor (Guest) · 1 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Ice trade, American History Tellers
2. 5:00 – 10:00: Havana, Ice trade, Trade embargo
3. 10:00 – 15:00: Havana, Ice trade, Royal Navy, Secretary of the Navy
4. 15:00 – 20:00: Boston Harbor, Ice trade, Charles River, Congress
5. 20:00 – 25:00: Havana, Ice trade, Carlos Goberto Deetta, Havana Harbor
6. 25:00 – 30:00: Havana, Ice trade, New York Harbor, Parago
7. 30:00 – 34:36: Havana, Ice trade, Airship, American History Tellers

Notable quotes from "The Ice King | Frozen Assets | American History Tellers"

• Rebuild my business. Oh, it's that silly business of yours that got you into this mess. The ice trade will make a fortune.

  about Ice trade · at 1:45

• From Wondery. I'm Lindsey Graham and this is American History Tellers. Our history, your story In early 1806, Boston trader Frederick Tutor thought he'd found an ingenious.

  about American History Tellers · at 2:52

• Imagine it's December 1809 in the governor's mansion in Havana, Cuba. You scroll your signature on a document, then pick up another piece of paper from a stack that never seems…

  about Havana · at 6:27

• Of 1812 broke out between the United States and Britain. And to stop the Royal Navy capturing American merchant ships, President James Madison once again closed American ports.…

  about Royal Navy · at 13:34

• River and deposit troops deeper inland than previously possible. In the hope of catching the attention of the Secretary of the Navy, Tutor somehow managed to borrow yet more…

  about Secretary of the Navy · at 14:51

• Into safer business ventures. But Frederick was only biting his time until Boston Harbor reopened. In February 1815, Congress ratified the Treaty of Gent, bringing the War of…

  about Boston Harbor · at 16:51

• Reinstate the monopoly, he made a shocking discovery. Someone had beaten him to it. A Spanish merchant, Carlos Goberto Deetta, had already been granted the exclusive right to…

  about Carlos Goberto Deetta · at 22:02

• Just 2 weeks after construction began on the new site, Tudtor's first ice ship docked at Havana Harbor, Tudtor was forced to unload the cargo and store it in the still unfinished ice house, even while the carpenters were working on it.

  about Havana Harbor · at 24:45

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Frederic Tudor — Person · 40 mentions
• General Thomas Pinckney — Person · 4 mentions
• Carlos Goberto Deetta — Person · 1 mention · first at 22:06
• Francis Lee — Person · 1 mention · first at 32:49
  Another family friend stepped in. When Tutor mentioned General Pinkney's proposal to fellow merchant Francis Lee, Lee offered to lend Tutor $300, enough to travel to South…
• Desi Bladelock — Person · 1 mention · first at 34:20
  Bach. Music by Thrum. This episode is written by Scott Reeves. Managing producer Desi Bladelock. Senior producers Alita Rosanski and Andy Becker. Executive producers are Jenny Lara Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wondery.
• Jenny Lara Beckman — Person · 1 mention · first at 34:24
  Producer Desi Bladelock. Senior producers Alita Rosanski and Andy Becker. Executive producers are Jenny Lara Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wondery.
• Harry Tudor — Person · 1 mention
• King Louis XVI — Person · 1 mention
• Mohammad Shazi — Person · 1 mention
• Napoleon Bonaparte — Person · 1 mention

Companies & orgs

• American History Tellers — Company · 2 mentions · first at 2:58
• Royal Navy — Company · 1 mention · first at 13:38
• Secretary of the Navy — Company · 1 mention · first at 14:55
• Congress — Company · 1 mention · first at 16:58
  Frederick was only biting his time until Boston Harbor reopened. In February 1815, Congress ratified the Treaty of Gent, bringing the War of 1812 to a close. With British…
• Parago — Company · 1 mention · first at 28:10
  Imagine it's September 17th, 1816. On board the merchant ship Parago in New York Harbor, you scan a cargo manifest from the newly arrived vessel, frowning as you read. It's unlike anything you've ever seen, and you can't decide whether.
• Airship — Company · 1 mention · first at 34:11
  History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Muhammad Shazib. Sound design by Molly Bach. Music by Thrum. This episode is…

Concepts & topics

• Ice trade — Concept · 11 mentions · first at 1:49
• Trade embargo — Concept · 3 mentions · first at 6:07
  Nevertheless, when he'd heard the news of the end of the trade embargo, he immediately began planning to harvest ice from his family estate as soon as the temperature dropped. But when he was released from his short stay in a.
• War for independence — Concept · 1 mention · first at 31:28
  66-year-old General Thomas Pinkney had served alongside Tutor's father during the War of Independence and had gone on to be elected the governor of South Carolina. He traveled…
• Treaty of Ghent — Concept · 1 mention

Places & events

• Havana — Place · 16 mentions · first at 6:33
• Boston Harbor — Place · 2 mentions · first at 16:55
• Charles River — Place · 1 mention · first at 15:18
  Let that fact slow him down. In May 1813, he launched his experimental boat and sailed up the Charles River with a delegation of potential investors aboard. But unbeknownst to…
• Havana Harbor — Place · 1 mention · first at 24:49
• New York Harbor — Place · 1 mention · first at 28:10
  Imagine it's September 17th, 1816. On board the merchant ship Parago in New York Harbor, you scan a cargo manifest from the newly arrived vessel, frowning as you read. It's unlike anything you've ever seen, and you can't decide whether.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:01 Wonder. Imagine it's fall 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. You're marching down a damp stone corridor in the local jail. At the end of the hallway, you wait as the jailer unlocks a heavy wooden door and pushes it open. Inside, your 26-year-old son, Frederick, rises from a bench. He smooths down his rumple jacket and runs his fingers through his hair. Earlier today, he was arrested for failing to pay his debts. The moment you heard, you rushed to the jail house, but you're not sure whether to help your son or just let him face the consequences of his actions. Frederick gestures to the bench. Father, you can sit if you'd like. You eye the rough, rickety planks.

0:56 I'll stand. Frederick slumps back down onto the bench and it wobbles under his weight. Am I supposed to sleep on this thing? I suppose they'll give you a blanket. When can I get out of here? Not until your debt's paid. And how am I supposed to repay anyone from a cell? You shake your head, dismayed at your son's naivee. You can't. Your only choice is to rely on your friends and family. Frederick looks at you with pleading eyes. Well, please, father. I I can't stay here. You say nothing. The silence hanging in the air. The blood drains from Frederick's face. You are getting me out of here, right? It's not that simple. You know, I can't keep bailing you out. My own situation isn't what you think. But I'm not asking for a handout.

1:41 I'll repay every cent when I'm back on my feet. I just need the chance to rebuild my business. Oh, it's that silly business of yours that got you into this mess. The ice trade will make a fortune. You'll see. No, it won't. Promise me you'll give up on this fool's Aaron Frederick. Isn't it enough that you're a laughingstock? Maybe this is God's way of telling you enough is enough. So that's it. You're leaving me here. You shake your head. No. Your mother would never forgive me. I've scraped together enough to clear your most pressing debts. But Frederick, you need to give up this lunacy. It's reckless. And it's not just yourself you'll ruin. You'll take the whole family down with you.

2:21 Your son buries his face in his hands and says nothing. You turn and leave the cell, intending to seek out the sheriff to cut a deal. Since this is Frederick's first defense, the authorities will likely spare him the humiliation of a night behind bars and give him a week to pay his creditors. But you can't help feeling it's only a temporary reprieve. Trouble has a way of finding your son, and next time he might not get off so easily.

2:55 from Wondery. I'm Lindsey Graham and this is American History Tellers. Our history, your story In early 1806, Boston trader Frederick Tutor thought he'd found an ingenious way to make a fortune. That winter, he harvested ice from a pond on his family's estate and shipped it to the tropics. He hoped to create a new market for ice as a luxury product in places where the frozen commodity was otherwise nowhere to be found. But he quickly discovered that having the idea was the easy part. Making it pay was more difficult. And by the fall of 1809, Tudtor was in trouble. After a disastrous 2 years of being unable to ship his product due to an embargo on trade with the Caribbean, Tutor had sunk so far into the red that he was arrested for debt. He managed to avoid a lengthy stay behind bars. But despite the pleas of his father, Tudtor refused to give up on his dream of making his fortune by exporting ice. Tudtor remained convinced

4:09 that the ice trade would eventually become enormously profitable. So he persisted even when others mocked him and his creditors pursued him. So as he faced setback after setback, Tutor would be forced to innovate, experimenting with new technologies and new markets in his quest for success. Because no matter what, Tutor was determined to continue on the course he'd chosen. This is episode two in our four-part series on the Ice King, frozen assets. At the beginning of the 19th century, Europe's great powers were at war. After the French overthrew King Louis V 16th and installed Napoleon Bonapart in his place, they came under attack from the continent's other monarchies. And the conflict was not just confined to Europe. Since France, Britain, and Spain all held colonies in North and South America, the fighting extended to the other side of the Atlantic, too. For the young United States, this broader

5:06 conflict known as the Napoleonic Wars was a real threat. As a sovereign state, America was still less than 30 years old, and its armed forces pald in comparison to those of the great European powers. As a result, President Thomas Jefferson made staying out of the conflict a foreign policy priority. And to emphasize American neutrality, he closed the country's ports to international trade. Merchants could no longer do business with any of the waring nations or their colonies. And Jefferson's restrictions did keep America out of the fighting, but at a steep price. The embargo devastated the US economy. Exports collapsed by 80%.

5:44 Docks fell silent and ships sat idle. Merchants like Frederick Tudtor lost all their income and soon faced bankruptcy. So by March 1809, President Jefferson finally recognized the damage his policies were doing and lifted the trade restrictions. But it was too late for Frederick Tutor. Having been unable to ship ice that season, his debts had continued to mount. Nevertheless, when he'd heard the news of the end of the trade embargo, he immediately began planning to harvest ice from his family estate as soon as the temperature dropped. But when he was released from his short stay in a Boston jail that fall, he still had creditors on his tail. So, for the time being, he thought it was wise to leave New England and put some distance between him and his debts.

6:27 Imagine it's December 1809 in the governor's mansion in Havana, Cuba. You scroll your signature on a document, then pick up another piece of paper from a stack that never seems to shrink. Before you can read a word of the document in front of you, though, there's a knock at the door and a smartly dressed young man enters. You gesture to a chair in front of your desk. Uh, please come sit down. Thank you. I'm Frederick Tudtor, and I have an appointment with the governor. You take in the man's halty demeanor as you check the calendar. Yes, it appears you do have an appointment, but I'm afraid you won't be seeing the governor today.

7:03 You'll be dealing with me. Tutor's brow furrows in confusion. Well, forgive me. I I assume the governor would take a personal interest in a matter of this importance. A smile tugs at the corners of your mouth. Well, Mr. Tutor, the governor of Cuba is a very busy man, but rest assured, I have full authority to deal with this matter. Well, very well. Uh, as you may recall, I was responsible for importing a fine shipment of quality ice here to Cuba 2 years ago. I do remember that you caused quite a stir. Well, I only stopped my shipments because American trade policy was such that I would be breaking the law not to do so. But I put in a lot of time, effort, and money into establishing the ice export business, and I don't want to see it wasted. Now that American policy has changed, I'd like to resume those shipments. Well, of course, but you don't need any special permission to do that. What exactly are you looking for

7:52 today? I would like exclusivity, the sole rights to import ice into Cuba. Now that trade's resumed, I don't want another merchant to sweep in and take advantage of my hard work. So, you are saying you would like a monopoly. You could call that, I suppose, but it's a fact that Cuba wouldn't have any ice at all if it wasn't for me. I feel I should be the one to reap the benefit of the trade I brought to this island. You find this young man brash and demanding, but you can see where this conversation is heading, and you sense an opportunity to personally profit. Well, Mr. Tutor, I understand your position, and and I am sympathetic to it. You would benefit greatly from this arrangement, of course, monetarily. I think we would all benefit from an exclusive trade agreement. That may well be. Why don't you give me some time to consider your proposal, and let me get back to you.

8:39 Tutor nods and stands to leave. But just as he's about to walk away, he reaches into his pocket, drops a bag of coins on your desk. Perhaps this might help you make your mind up a little sooner. You pick up the bag and hastily deposit it in your desk drawer. Thank you, Mr. Tutor. I'm confident you'll be happy with my decision. After he leaves, you count out the coins and pocket your share, setting aside the rest for the governor and other officials you'll need to give a cut. Then you take a piece of paper and write out the license granting the exclusivity that Tutor requested. You set it on a pile for the governor's signature, satisfied that you'll profit handsomely from this renewed ice trade, whether Tutor ultimately does or not.

9:24 In early 1810, after winning the exclusive right to trade ice in Cuba, Frederick Tudtor was ready to get back to work. But before his shipment of ice arrived that spring, he needed to rebuild his dilapidated ice house. In the two years since Tutor had last shipped New England ice to Cuba, the ice house in Havana had stood empty. Its underground storage chamber was damp and dirty, and the timber structure above it had collapsed. So Tutor decided to start from scratch. He hired a team of Cuban laborers to build him a new and bigger ice house. and they managed to finish construction before two new ships carrying ice from Boston docked in Havana in April 1810. After taking receipt of the shipments, Tutor paid Long Shoreman to unload the cargo and transport it to the new ice house. Then, just as he had 2 years earlier, he placed ads in local newspapers encouraging the inhabitants of Havana to

10:14 come and buy a chunk of pure, clean New England ice. And to his great relief, he was soon back to making money. But a month later, Tutor's worst fears were confirmed when a rival appeared on the scene. A ship sailed into Havana with its hold packed with ice from New England, and it wasn't one of his vessels. Tutor's unusual business idea had been mocked for years, but now it was clear that someone else had finally seen the potential profits. So Tutor went straight to the Cuban authorities, demanding they block the newcomer from unloading his cargo. According to the terms he'd agreed to with the government, only Tutor was permitted to import ice to Cuba. But despite their previous assurances that he alone would be able to sell ice on the island, the governor's officials ignored Tutor's complaints and made no move to enforce his exclusive rights. Tutor realized that the trade agreement he'd made was

11:05 nothing but a worthless piece of paper. But Tutor was still not about to let a rival encroach on his territory. He reasoned that if the people of Havana could buy the cheapest ice from him, his rival wouldn't stand a chance. So, he slashed his prices. This move worked. Customers flocked to Tutor's ice house while the rival merchant was shut out. After just a few days, the newcomer's ice was melting rapidly, and he made overtures to Tutor, offering to sell the rest of his ice at cost. But Tutor had no intention of allowing his rival to even break even and refused to purchase the remaining stock. This left the other merchant no option but to raise anchor and leave Havana, dumping his now worthless cargo into the sea. By the time Tutor's own ice ran out, he generated $7,400 in revenue on which he made a $1,000 profit. But it wasn't much of a payday for all the effort he put in, and Tutor was still deeply in debt.

11:58 Still, it was enough to prove that after a long embargo, the ice trade could again be profitable, and it motivated Tutor to keep going. But looking ahead, Tutor realized that if he wanted to make real money, he'd have to expand. So over the winter of 1810 and into early 1811, he began the process of branching out into a new market. He kept his ice house in Havana and continued to send shipments there. But he decided to add a second destination on another Caribbean island, Jamaica. As he'd done before, Tutor asked his family for help. He recruited his younger brother Harry to travel to Jamaica and build a temporary ice house big enough for a test shipment. Then after dispatching ice to Havana to begin a new season of trading there, Tutor loaded up a second ship bound for Jamaica which departed in April 1811. Unfortunately, this shipment never arrived at its destination. The vessel was lost at sea and since it was

12:52 already spring in Boston, Tudtor had no ice left to harvest. His attempt to break into the Jamaican market sank with the doom ship. And even worse, the failed delivery triggered a series of disasters. When news spread in Boston that Tutor had lost stock in the shipwreck, it spooked one of his creditors, prompting a demand for immediate repayment. But Tutor didn't have enough cash to settle the debt. So the creditor sought a warrant for Tutor's arrest. For the second time, Tutor was apprehended by a Boston sheriff, and this time he was locked up in a prison cell for days.

13:25 Tudtor was only released after his family scraped together enough money to satisfy the court. But no sooner was he free when another blow landed. The War of 1812 broke out between the United States and Britain. And to stop the Royal Navy capturing American merchant ships, President James Madison once again closed American ports. For the second time in 5 years, a self-imposed trade embargo delivered a crushing blow to America's merchants, and Tutor faced another winter unable to harvest or sell ice. With exports on hold, but creditors still on his tail, Tutor desperately looked for other ways to make money. He considered investing in Massachusetts coal mines, but he lacked the funds to buy in. He tried to persuade his father to remortgage the family estates, but he had made risky real estate investments that weren't paying off, so he wasn't in a position to lend his son any more money. Desperate for cash, Tutor soon

14:18 had an idea just as unconventional as exporting ice. Although he had no experience in ship building, he came up with an innovative design for a flat bottom boat that had a keel only at the stern, meaning it could remain stable while sitting high in the water. This made it perfect for sailing far up river where water was increasingly shallow. As a merchant himself, Tudtor knew that traders would appreciate the ship's ability to carry cargo deep inland. But aware that the country was at war, he also hoped that the government would see the military applications of his new design. The Navy could sail further up river and deposit troops deeper inland than previously possible. In the hope of catching the attention of the Secretary of the Navy, Tutor somehow managed to borrow yet more money and construct a prototype of the boat. As he pursued this new goal, his debt soared to almost $39,000, more than 3/4 of a million today, and he

15:11 still had no income. But Tutor did not let that fact slow him down. In May 1813, he launched his experimental boat and sailed up the Charles River with a delegation of potential investors aboard. But unbeknownst to him, he would not be returning to port with the rest of the passengers. Tutor's prototype hadn't traveled far when he was flagged down by another vessel. A sheriff then boarded and arrested Tutor once again for failing to pay his creditors. The experimental ship returned to port without the man who built it and without attracting any financial backing. Yet again, Tutor was imprisoned in a Boston jail and only released when his father agreed to bail him out once more. But his father also left him in no doubt that this was the last time. Frederick Tudtor's business woes had gotten him in trouble with the law a third time. He was frustrated, still believing that no one else could see what he could. As far

16:04 as he was concerned, Tutor had been laid low, not because his business concepts lacked merit, but by sheer bad luck. So no matter what obstacles were put in his way, Tutor was sure that his fortunes would change when he got the chance to resume the ice trade, even if it meant risking another arrest and disappointing his father yet again.

16:34 The War of 1812 and America's subsequent trade embargo was a serious obstacle for Frederick Tudtor's ice export business. But Frederick's father found that there was a silver lining in the war. Since it put his son's risky ice exports on hold, he used the time to encourage Frederick into safer business ventures. But Frederick was only biting his time until Boston Harbor reopened. In February 1815, Congress ratified the Treaty of Gent, bringing the War of 1812 to a close. With British warships no longer patrolling the east coast, President James Madison then reopened the nation's ports. And almost immediately, arguments began in the Tutor household.

17:15 Because no matter what he may have promised his father in the past, Frederick was determined to resume his trade in ice. Imagine it's the evening of November 1st, 1815 in Boston Harbor. The sun is sinking below the horizon as your son, 32-year-old Frederick, gently peels your arms from around him. You pull a handkerchief from your sleeve and dab your eyes while he tries to comfort you. Oh, mother. I thought you'd be used to me going away by now. It never gets easier. What if the ship sinks? It won't. You might catch a tropical disease. I won't. Oh, I'm sorry. Every time you go, it makes me think of your brother John. 14 years ago, your son John died on his return journey from Cuba, where he'd been sent to recover from a bout of illness. Oh, mother. John was already sick. He would have died whether he went away or not. You glance toward the ship where the captain's making the final preparations for

18:14 departure. He spots Frederick and gestures for him to come aboard. Well, look, I I I've got to go. They'll pull the gang plank any minute. You know, I'm sorry your father's not here to see you off. Oh, it's okay. I know he's angry, but this is the only way I can pay back what I owe. And I'm not going to bury my head in the sand like he does about his own debts. Well, he's trying his best, but you know, he's a very proud man. So am I. And I want to stand on my own two feet. I don't want father to bail me out every time I get in trouble. But still, couldn't you send someone else to Cuba for you? You could manage the ice harvest here instead, like you've done before. Nah, I think it's better if I'm out of Boston for now. There's a reason we're sailing at sunset. It's easier to slip out of the harbor without the law knowing. The law? Are you in trouble again? No, I'm I'm just keeping a low profile in case one of my creditors

19:04 hears I'm leaving the country. They might call in the authorities again to stop me from going. I see. You hand Frederick a parcel wrapped in brown paper. Well, here, take this. What is it? Some sweets, few clean shirts. It's not much. Well, it's perfect. Thank you. Now I really must go, but I'll be back in the spring. And God willing, I'll have a hold full of cash, too. You wrap your arms around your son one last time. But after a few seconds, your son Frederick wriggles free and dashes up the gang plank onto the departing ship. You stand on the dock, waving as the vessel slowly drifts away into the gathering dusk. You find yourself wishing your son would come to his senses. Like your husband, you have serious doubts that the ice trade will ever make him rich. You can only hope that Frederick has learned from his past mistakes, that this time he'll do things differently.

20:02 In late 1815, 3 weeks after bidding his mother farewell in Boston, Frederick Tudtor once again docked in Havana. He still didn't enjoy Cuba's sweltering climate, which made him physically uncomfortable, and even worse, threatened to quickly melt his precious cargo. But after more than a decade, Tutor had an increasingly sophisticated understanding of how to harvest, transport, and store his product. So when Tutor disembarked in Havana this time, he wasn't alone. With him was a team of Boston carpenters who he'd hired to construct a new ice house, one that was to be a radical break from previous designs. Tutor's earlier ice houses in Cuba had been based on the type used widely in New England. there. The structures tended to be excavated into the ground with subterranean chambers which were heuned out of rock and lined with brick or stone. These ice houses managed to keep ice frozen even at the

20:54 height of a Boston summer. But Tudtor had concluded that they weren't as effective in the tropics, and he thought he'd worked out why. In the Caribbean, the heat of the blazing tropical sun caused the ground to become much warmer than in northern climates like New England, leading the subterranean chamber of his Havana ice house to warm quickly and much more than expected. Tutor came to realize that an ice house engineer to stay cool in New England would not suffice in Cuba. So, he came up with a bold new blueprint. His latest iteration would be built entirely above ground using cheap timber rather than expensive stone. The walls were designed with cavities that would be stuffed with sawdust and pete to act as an insulating barrier between the hot air outside and the cold ice inside. And the storage chamber would be raised off the ground with drains in the elevated floor to allow melt water to drip out. So while

21:45 his carpenters got to work on this innovative new ice house, Tutor busied himself with the next part of his plan. As before, he went to the governor's mansion to request an exclusive license to import ice into Cuba. Tudtor expected that it'd be granted with a minimum of fuss. But when he asked the officials to reinstate the monopoly, he made a shocking discovery. Someone had beaten him to it. A Spanish merchant, Carlos Goberto Deetta, had already been granted the exclusive right to import ice for the next year. Tutor was stunned to find himself an interloper in the trade that he'd personally created. Tutor was furious, but he knew from experience that there was little in Cuba that couldn't be solved with a bribe. So he petitioned the governor to reverse his decision. But even after distributing $2,000 in bribes to any official who'd take the time to listen, the decision stood. Tutor soon discovered that Deetta

22:38 had posted a $30,000 bond to secure the rights, and there was no way Tutor could match that kind of cash. Still, Tutor knew that Cuban officials could not always be counted on to enforce their trade agreements. 6 years earlier, he had secured the exclusive rights to import eyes. But when a rival merchant appeared on the scene, the Cuban authorities turned a blind eye. Hoping that they'd look the other way again, Tudtor set in motion a trade war, and he had one important advantage over his new rival, experience. When Tudtor learned that Deetta intended to source his ice from New England, he wrote to his cousin William Savage in Boston and ordered him to secure space on every merchant ship headed to Havana in the spring. So when Desetta tried to hire a ship, he found that Tutor's name was already on every manifest, meaning that Desetta had no one to haul his shipments for him. In response, Desetta took out ads in Boston

23:31 newspapers, claiming that he alone had the right to import ice into Cuba. He warned that any ship carrying Tutor's ice would be impounded in Havana. Boston's ship owners and merchants rallied around one of their own. Tudtor may not always pay his bills. His ice trade might be the butt of jokes, but at least he was a New Englander. Being given the cold shoulder in Boston forced Deetta to compromise. Eventually, he and Tutor came to an agreement. Detta would allow Tutor to import ice to Cuba in 1816. In return, Tudtor would give up some of the space he'd reserved on Boston's merchant ships. So, for now, the Cuban ice trade would operate as a free market. But then, the Cuban government threw another wrench in the works. As Tutor's new ice house neared completion, Cuban officials visited to inspect it, and they were surprised to find it wasn't a subterranean chamber like Tutor had built before. That

24:22 concerned officials who declared that the new raised structure was too tall for the already congested docks. Even after Tutor's carpenters reduced the height by 3 ft, it wasn't enough. Frustrated, Tutor had no choice but to tell his carpenters to disassemble the half-finished ice house and start again on a different site further away from the docks. But time was not on his side. Just 2 weeks after construction began on the new site, Tudtor's first ice ship docked at Havana Harbor, Tudtor was forced to unload the cargo and store it in the still unfinished ice house, even while the carpenters were working on it.

24:58 Making it worse, the structure didn't have a roof, and with the sun blazing down from above, a steady flow of melt water soon dripped from the drains in the ice house floor. Tutor's product was disappearing quickly, and with it any chance to make a profit. Desperate to salvage the season, Tutor thought on his feet. He tested the meltwater and found that it was still cold. So rather than allow it to drip onto the ground and go to waste, he collected it in barrels. Then he began experimenting with ways to offer it to customers. After just a few hours of effort, Tutor came up with a solution. He took a 14gallon jug and wrapped it in layers of cloth, sawdust, and dried moss to act as insulation. He found this method could keep the water cold for up to a day. So he began to offer what he called his water cooling jugs to the coffee houses of Havana and tried to persuade the coffee house owners that their customers would pay

25:50 handsomely for an ice cold glass of water alongside their coffee. He was right for a short while at least. Chilled restaurant water became the newest novelty to hit Havana. But unfortunately it proved to be a passing fad and demand fell after customers had tried only a few glasses. Still, the chilled water craze lasted just long enough to rescue Tutor's trading season. And by the time demand for the melted ice water fell off, Tutor's carpenters had finally finished the roof of the ice house and enclosed the building.

26:20 Against all odds, Tutor's quick thinking had kept his business afloat. And in the meantime, the money he made selling his cool water jugs allowed him to fund more deliveries of ice from Boston. Not for the first time, Frederick Tudtor had identified an untapped market. But he knew from bitter experience that new ventures didn't always pay off. And neither would his next one.

26:52 By the fall of 1816, Frederick Tutor's stock of ice was finally gone. It hadn't melted. In fact, his new ice house in Havana had been a great success and kept his product frozen for months. Instead, he had sold out. After years of working tirelessly to market his product, he was thrilled that now for Cubans, ice was no longer a novelty. It was a commodity that they'd grown to rely on to preserve their food and to cool their drinks. But Tutor was not done innovating. While he'd successfully sold all the ice he imported to the island that season, he kept some aside for his own use. Throughout the summer, he'd conducted experiments with it, buying oranges from a local market and storing them in the ice house to see how long they last at a cooler temperature.

27:36 After finding that the fruit stayed good for over a month, Tutor decided to buy enough limes, oranges, bananas, and coconuts to fill one of his ship's holds on its return journey from Cuba to the US. Then he set sail with his last stash of ice packed around the fruit crates, preventing the produce from rotting during the voyage. If all went to plan, Tutor wouldn't just be a pioneer in the ice trade. He'd revolutionize the shipment of exotic tropical fruits to America. Imagine it's September 17th, 1816. On board the merchant ship Parago in New York Harbor, you scan a cargo manifest from the newly arrived vessel, frowning as you read. It's unlike anything you've ever seen, and you can't decide whether the merchant who handed it over is serious or if he's playing an elaborate joke. You hold up the document. Is this yours? Are you Mr. Tutor? Yes, I'm Frederick Tutor. It says here, "You come

28:31 from Cuba with ice." That's right. Cuba doesn't have any ice. Well, it does now. I harvest ice from lakes in New England during the winter, ship it to Havana, and then sell it from my ice house there. So, why have you brought it back to New York? Tutor points at the bottom of the list. I see here I've got limes, oranges, bananas, and coconuts, too. The ice is just to keep them fresh. Ice, oranges, and what else from Cuba? I've been doing this job for 20 years, Mr. Tutor. This is the strangest manifest I've ever seen. Have you ever tasted a coconut? Can't say I have. Well, they're delicious, and I reckon New Yorkers will go mad for them. Well, let's [snorts] take a look. Maybe I can try one. It would be my pleasure. Tutor fishes out a key and unlocks the hold. He takes hold of the hatch, but then leaps back when the blast of air hits him. You grab his arm to steady him. What was that? I don't know. Sounded like gas. You sure

29:27 it's only ice and fruit down there? You lean over the opening and immediately recoil. The smell coming from the hole is horrendous. You cover your nose and mouth and climb inside. It's oppressively warm. Melt water sloshes around your boots. crates of fruit floating in it. A few boxes have cracked open to reveal rotten oranges inside. We turn to see Tutor standing by the hatch, his face as gray as the moldy fruit. I I don't understand. This shouldn't have happened. The the air must have gotten in. It must It should have been sealed tight. You give Tutor a sympathetic look. Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Tutor. Looks like the whole cargo spoiled. You check the manifest again. The ice, well, that's that's all gone. and the fruit.

30:10 Uh, no value to any of that. I'll I'll just strike it out. You won't need to pay any customs duties, but but can I give you a tip for next time? Tutor glances at you, but you can see he barely registers what you're saying. Well, Mr. Tutor, maybe New York isn't ready for coconuts. Frederick Tudtor had enjoyed a successful trading season in Havana, selling more ice than his competitor, Carlos Gberto Deetta, by undercutting him with lower prices. But now he had nothing to show for it. Even though he didn't have to pay duties for the spoiled cargo, the cost of buying the now rotten fruit had wiped out the profit he made over the past 6 months.

30:51 As a result, Tutor was still heavily in debt, and letters from Boston brought more troubling news. Four different creditors were after him, each demanding that Tutor repay what he owed them. That meant returning home would put Tutor at risk of being arrested and imprisoned again. So he decided to stay in New York until the next season's ice trading began. The following month in October 1816, Tutor got a tip off that changed his plans. A letter from his older brother, William, came with unexpected news. The Tutor family was putting up a distinguished visitor for a few days.

31:24 66-year-old General Thomas Pinkney had served alongside Tutor's father during the War of Independence and had gone on to be elected the governor of South Carolina. He traveled to Boston on business and wanted to catch up with his old comrade at the same time. During General Pinkney's visit, talk had naturally turned to family matters, and that included Tutor's quest to conquer the ice trade. But when Tutor's father had given Pinkney a summary of what were to him his son's exasperating business exploits, the general didn't laugh.

31:53 Unlike most people, General Pinkney seemed to take the idea seriously. And he suggested that Tutor's plan might actually succeed not in the Caribbean, but in South Carolina, where summer temperatures were also often unbearable. When William heard this, he encouraged his younger brother to get to Boston as soon as he could. So, in spite of his fear of the creditors that awaited him, Tutor rushed north to the family estate. Once there, he seized the opportunity to pitch his business concept to General Pinkney in person, and Pinkney was impressed with Tutor's drive. He offered to invest in an ice house in South Carolina in return for a share of future profits. But unfortunately, the funds General Pinkney was offering wouldn't be enough to build even a modest structure.

32:35 And as things stood, Tutor couldn't cover the shortfall himself. So since Tutor had no other source of capital, he resigned himself to letting the opportunity pass him by. But then another family friend stepped in. When Tutor mentioned General Pinkney's proposal to fellow merchant Francis Lee, Lee offered to lend Tutor $300, enough to travel to South Carolina and set up a new branch of his ice business. So on November 1st, 1816, the now 33-year-old Tutor set sail from Boston aboard a ship bound for Charleston. Exactly one year had passed since Tutor had slipped out of Boston at dusk, bound for Havana. His fortunes hadn't changed over the subsequent 12 months. He was still in debt. He still had to ask the captain to keep the departure quiet. His father was still skeptical. And yet, Tutor pressed on. But now, Tutor wasn't chasing a tropical fantasy. After years of frustration in the Caribbean, Frederick

33:28 Tutor would test his trade on home turf in the American South. And he would soon find out whether his business was strong enough to endure or whether he was skating on thin ice. from Wondery. This is episode two of our four-part series on the ice king from American history tellers. On the next episode, cracks begin to appear when Frederick Tutor expands the ice trade. While new markets bring soaring sales, missteps in the Caribbean and a mild New England winter threaten to melt his profits and destroy his health. American History Tellers is hosted, edited, and produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Muhammad Shazib. Sound design by Molly Bach. Music by Thrum. This episode is written by Scott Reeves. Managing producer Desi Bladelock. Senior producers Alita Rosanski and Andy Becker. Executive producers are Jenny Lara Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wondery.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Ice King | Frozen Assets | American History Tellers"?

Lindsey Graham (Host), Frederic Tudor (Guest).

What is "The Ice King | Frozen Assets | American History Tellers" about?

The narrative focuses on a poignant moment between a father and his son, Frederick, who has been jailed for failing to pay debts accrued from his ambitious but impractical ice trade business. The father grapples with the dilemma of helping his son while confronting the folly of Frederick's dream, emphasizing the themes of familial responsibility, the harsh realities of financial failure, and the…

What is mentioned in this American History Tellers episode?

25 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Frederic Tudor, Havana, Ice trade, General Thomas Pinckney, Trade embargo, American History Tellers. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Ice King | Frozen Assets | American History Tellers"?

The episode runs 35 min; the transcript is about 6,218 words in 44 timestamped sections.

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